Structure and method for latchup improvement using through wafer via latchup guard ring

ABSTRACT

A structure for preventing latchup. The structure includes a latchup sensitive structure and a through wafer via structure bounding the latch-up sensitive structure to prevent parasitic carriers from being injected into the latch-up sensitive structure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/411,624, filed on Mar. 26, 2009, (now U.S. Pat.No. 7,989,282), the contents of which are incorporated by reference intheir entirety herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly, tostructures and methods for providing latchup improvement using a throughwafer via latchup guard ring or structure.

BACKGROUND

Noise isolation and the elimination of complementary metal-oxidesemiconductors (CMOS) latchup are significant issues in advanced CMOStechnology, radio frequency (RF) CMOS, and bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS) SiliconGermanium (SiGe) technology. Latchup conditions typically occur withinperipheral circuits or internal circuits, within one circuit(intra-circuit), or between multiple circuits (inter-circuit). In onesuch example, latchup occurs when a PNPN structure transitions from alow-current/high-voltage state to a high-current/low-voltage statethrough a negative resistance region (i.e., forming an S-Type I-V(current/voltage) characteristic).

In particular, latchup is known to be initiated by an equivalent circuitof a cross-coupled PNP and NPN transistor. With the base and collectorregions being cross-coupled, current flows from one device leading tothe initiation of the second device (“regenerative feedback”). These PNPand NPN elements can be any diffusions or implanted regions of othercircuit elements (e.g., p-channel MOSFETs, n-channel MOSFETs, resistors,etc.) or actual PNP and NPN bipolar transistors. In CMOS structures, thePNPN structure can be formed with a p-diffusion in an n-well, and an-diffusion in a p-substrate (“parasitic PNPN”). In this case, the welland substrate regions are inherently involved in the latchup currentexchange between regions in the device.

The condition for triggering a latchup is a function of the current gainof the PNP and NPN transistors, and the resistance between the emitterand the base regions. This inherently involves the well and substrateregions. The likelihood or sensitivity of a particular PNPN structure tolatchup is a function of a same combination of spacing (e.g., base widthof the NPN and base width of the PNP), current gain of the transistors,substrate resistance and spacings, the well resistance and spacings, andisolation regions.

Latchup can also occur as a result of the interaction of anelectrostatic discharge (ESD) device, the input/output (I/O) off-chipdriver and adjacent circuitry initiated in the substrate from theovershoot and undershoot phenomena. These factors can be generated byCMOS off-chip driver (OCD) circuitry, receiver networks, and ESDdevices. In CMOS I/O circuitry, undershoot and overshoot can lead toinjection in the substrate, and simultaneous switching of circuitrywhere overshoot or undershoot injection occurs may lead to both noiseinjection and latchup conditions. Also, supporting elements in thesecircuits, such as pass transistors, resistor elements, test functions,over voltage dielectric limiting circuitry, bleed resistors, keepernetworks and other elements can be present, contributing to noiseinjection into the substrate and latchup.

With the scaling of standard CMOS technology, the spacing of the p+/n+space decreases, leading to a lower trigger condition and the onset ofCMOS latchup. With the scaling of the shallow trench isolation (STI) foraspect ratio, the vulnerability of CMOS technology to latchup hasincreased. Vertical scaling of the wells, and lower n-well and p-wellimplant doses also has increased the lateral parasitic bipolar currentgains, leading to lower latchup robustness.

With the transition from p+ substrates to low doped p-substrates, thelatchup robustness has continued to decrease. Also, the effectiveness ofn-wells as guard ring structures may reduce internal and externallatchup problems. But, with mixed signal applications and radiofrequency (RF) chips, a higher concern for noise reduction has lead tothe continued lowering of the substrate doping concentration. Thiscontinues to lead to lower latchup immunity in mixed signal applicationsand RF technologies.

Latchup also can occur from voltage or current pulses that occur on thepower supply lines. Transient pulses on power rails (e.g., substrate orwells) can trigger latchup processes. Latchup can also occur from astimulus to the well or substrate external to the region of a thyristorstructure from minority carriers.

Latchup can be initiated from internal or external stimulus, and isknown to occur from single event upsets (SEU), which can includeterrestrial emissions from nuclear processes, and cosmic ray events, aswell as events in space environments. Cosmic ray particles can includeproton, neutron, and gamma events, as well as a number of particles thatenter the earth atmosphere. Terrestrial emissions from radioactiveevents, such as alpha particles, and other radioactive decay emissionscan also lead to latchup in semiconductors.

For military, surveillance, satellite, and other outer spaceapplications, it is desirable to have a high tolerance to latchup.Latchup can lead to failure of space applications triggered by cosmicrays, heavy ions, proton and neutron events. The higher the latchupmargin in military and outer space applications, the higher thevulnerability to single even upset (SEU) initiated latchup.

Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficienciesand limitations described hereinabove.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing asemiconductor structure comprises forming a latchup sensitive structure,masking the latchup sensitive structure and flipping the latchupsensitive structure and substrate to gain access to an undersidethereof. The method further comprises etching a through wafer via (alsocan be referred to as trough via, or through via) through the substrateand adjacent the latchup sensitive structure using lithography andetching to isolate the latchup sensitive structure from at least anexternal source.

In embodiments, the through wafer via is filled with a metal material,refractory material, an insulator, or a metal material with an insulatorliner. The latchup sensitive structure contains a p+ diffusionstructure. The p+ diffusion can be a p+/n-well diode, a PMOS transistor,a P+ resistor, or a pnp bipolar transistor. The latchup sensitivestructure also contains a n+ diffusion. The n+ diffusion can be a n+/p−substrate diode, an NMOS transistor, n+ resistor element, or npn bipolartransistor. The p+ diffusion and the n+ diffusion form a parasitic PNPN.The embodiments address CMOS technology, which contains both PMOS andNMOS transistors. The latchup sensitive structure is bounded by thethrough wafer via to prevent parasitic carriers from being injected intothe latchup sensitive structure. The through wafer via is etched toentirely surround the latchup sensitive structure.

In another aspect of the invention, a method of forming a structurecomprises: forming at least a P+ diffusion structure that is sensitiveto latchup; and forming a guard ring structure bounding the P+ diffusionstructure to isolate the P+ diffusion structure from external sources.

In another aspect of the invention, a structure comprises a latchupsensitive structure and a through wafer via structure bounding thelatch-up sensitive structure. The through wafer prevents parasiticcarriers from being injected into the latch-up sensitive structure.

In embodiments, the latchup sensitive structure is a P+ diffusionstructure. The latchup sensitive structure is a CMOS structure. Thelatchup sensitive structure contains both PMOS and NMOS transistor. Thethrough wafer via isolates the latchup sensitive structure from anexternal source. The through wafer via is filled with one of: arefractory material, a metal, an insulator and a metal material linedwith an insulator. The through wafer via completely surrounds thelatchup sensitive structure. The through wafer via partially surroundsthe latchup sensitive structure. The through wafer via is a guard ringstructure. The through wafer via prevents latchup resulting from aminority injection source.

In another aspect of the invention, a structure comprises: a latchupsensitive structure; and a guard ring that bounds the latchup sensitivestructure to isolate the latchup sensitive structure from an externalsource.

In another aspect of the invention, a design structure is embodied in amachine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing anintegrated circuit. The design structure comprises a latchup sensitivestructure, and a guard ring that bounds the latchup sensitive structureto isolate the latchup sensitive structure from an external source.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described in the detailed description whichfollows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way ofnon-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor structure in accordance with a first aspectof the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a semiconductor structure in accordance with a secondaspect of the invention; and

FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram implementing process steps in accordancewith the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly, tostructures and methods for providing latchup improvement using a throughwafer via latchup guard ring or structure. In embodiments, a throughwafer via structure bounds a latchup sensitive structure to preventparasitic carriers from being injected into the latchup sensitivestructure. More specifically, in the present invention through wafervias are used as NMOS, PMOS or CMOS latchup guard rings to minimize thecarrier migration to adjacent circuitry. The through-wafer vias canserve as barriers to the minority carrier injection from injectionsources observed in NMOS, PMOS or CMOS semiconductor chips.

In embodiments, the guard ring or structure (hereinafter generallyreferred to as “guard ring”) of the present invention serves the purposeof providing electrical and spatial isolation between adjacent circuitelements preventing interaction between devices and circuits that mayundergo latchup. This is achieved by the prevention of minority carriersfrom within a given circuit, or the prevention of minority carriers fromentering a sensitive circuit. In the first case, the guard ring preventsthe minority carriers from leaving the region of the circuit andinfluencing the surrounding circuitry. In the second case, the injectionis external to the circuit, and the guard ring prevents the minoritycarriers from influencing the circuit of interest.

In embodiments, the guard ring provides electrical isolation between aPNP and NPN structure. In this case, the guard ring minimizes theelectrical coupling, and prevents regenerative feedback from occurringbetween the PNP and the NPN. That is, the guard ring lowers the gain ofthe feedback loop by reducing the parasitic current gain. Guard ringswithin the PNPN structures lower the parasitic bipolar gain by, forexample:

Increasing the base width of the parasitic PNP or NPN structure;

Providing a region of collection of the minority carriers to thesubstrate or power supply electrodes, “collecting” the minority carriervia a metallurgical junction or electrical connection; and

Providing a region of heavy doping concentration to increase therecombination within the parasitic, “capturing” the minority carrier viaelectron-hole pair recombination.

In external latchup, the guard ring provides electrical isolationbetween a first and second region; the role of the guard ring is not tominimize the electrical coupling between the local PNP and the NPNtransistor but serve as the role of prevention of injection mechanismstraverse from a first to a second region. In this case, the guard ringlowers the minority carrier injection from an exterior region into thecircuit region of interest.

FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor structure in accordance with a first aspectof the invention. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows a structure generallydepicted at reference numeral 10. The structure 10, in one embodiment,is a Pfet 100 sitting in a N-well 105. Those of skill in the art shouldunderstand that the present invention is equally applicable to NMOS andCMOS structures, and that the present invention should not be limited toa Pfet. Also, the present invention is discussed with reference to aPfet structure only for ease of explanation, and as such, this shouldnot be construed as a limiting feature of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the Pfet 100 can be any P+ diffusion in an N-well.For example, the P+ diffusion can be a P+ diode, a decoupling capacitor,a PNP, e.g., a thyristor (also known as a silicon controlled rectifier(SCR), or any P+ shape device that causes a parasitic PNP with thesubstrate 110. In embodiments, the substrate 110 is a P− substrate. Inthe case of a NMOS structure, an Nfet can be any N− diffusion.

As further shown in FIG. 1, a through wafer via guard ring 115 surroundsor partially surrounds the structure 10. The through wafer via guardring 115 provides protection, e.g., a barrier or isolation, to thestructure 10 from external sources. The through wafer via structures canbe a single side, two sides, three sides or four sides. The throughwafer via barrier is not limited to Cartesian coordinates, but can beany polygon, arc or circular structure.

In embodiments, the guard ring 115 is formed from the backside of thesubstrate 110 using conventional etching processes, e.g., reactive ionetching (RIE). More specifically, after standard device formation, amask can be placed on the top of the structure, the structure thenflipped over and a via is etched through the substrate usingconventional lithography and etching processes. After the etchingprocess, the via can be filled with different materials, depending onthe particular application. These materials can be a refractory metal,aluminum, an insulator, or a metal material with an insulator liner. Inembodiments, the via can also be left empty, i.e., not filled. Thestructure is then polished using conventional polishing techniques suchas, for example, chemical mechanical polishing.

The guard ring 115 can be formed in many different locations, accordingto aspects of the invention. For example, the guard ring 115 cancompletely surround the structure 10, or can partially surround thestructure 10. In the case of partially surrounding the structure, theguard ring 115 would also be known as a guard structure. For example, inthe latter embodiment, the guard ring 115 can be arranged on one, two orthree sides of the structure 10. In further embodiments, the guard ring115 can be of different shapes such as, for example, an arc shape orseveral overlapping arc shapes.

The guard ring(s) 115 provides a barrier or isolation structure to thestructure 10 from external sources depicted at reference numeral 120.These external sources 120 can be, for example, from other devices, fromalpha particles, cosmic rays, noise, cable discharge events, heavy ions,or any single event latchup, to name a few. As further examples, theguard ring 115 can prevent injection from a second source such as, forexample, sub circuits, ESD devices, high voltage logic and the like. Inoperation, for example, when the guard ring 115 is composed of a metalmaterial, for example, the external source will contact the metal andsink to the substrate. In other embodiments, minority carriers canrecombine at the metal surface similar to a Schottky barrier. Also, theguard ring 115 can act as a blocking source, preventing the externalsource of even entering conducting with the guard ring 115.

FIG. 2 shows a semiconductor structure in accordance with a secondaspect of the invention. In FIG. 2, a CMOS structure 125 is shownconstrained by the guard ring 115. The CMOS structure 125 includes anNfet 130 and a Pfet 100. As thus shown, the Nfet 130 and a Pfet 100 canbe core logic circuits constrained in a physical location by the guardring 115. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the Pfet 100 can beany P+ diffusion in a N-well. For example, the P+ diffusion can be a P+diode, a decoupling capacitor, a PNP, e.g., a thyristor, or any P+ shapedevice that causes a parasitic PNP with the substrate 110. Inembodiments, the substrate 110 is a P− substrate.

Similar to that discussed with reference to FIG. 1, the guard ring 115is formed from the backside of the substrate 110 using conventionaletching processes, e.g., reactive ion etching (RIE). More specifically,after standard device formation of the CMOS device, a mask can be placedon the top of the structure, the structure then flipped over and a viais etched through the substrate using conventional lithography andetching processes. The via can be filled with refractory metal,aluminum, an insulator, or a metal material with an insulator liner, toname a few different combinations. In embodiments, the via can also beleft empty, i.e., not filled. The structure is then polished usingconventional polishing techniques such as, for example, chemicalmechanical polishing.

The guard ring 115 can be formed in many different locations such as,for example, completely or partially surrounding the CMOS structure 125.In the case of partially surrounding the structure, the guard ring wouldalso be known as a guard structure, and can be arranged on one, two orthree sides of the CMOS structure 125. In further embodiments, the guardring 115 can be of different shapes such as, for example, an arc shapeor several overlapping arc shapes.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the guard ring(s) 115 can prevent latchupof the CMOS resulting from a minority injection source. For example, theguard ring(s) 115 can isolate the CMOS structure from a high voltagedevice. In one example, the high voltage device can be approximately 2.3to 2.5 volt logic that would disrupt the Pfet that is a low voltage,e.g., 1.8 volt, device.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an exemplary design flow 900 used forexample, in semiconductor IC logic design, simulation, test, layout, andmanufacture. Design flow 900 includes processes and mechanisms forprocessing design structures to generate logically or otherwisefunctionally equivalent representations of the embodiments of theinvention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The design structures processed and/orgenerated by design flow 900 may be encoded on machine-readabletransmission or storage media to include data and/or instructions thatwhen executed or otherwise processed on a data processing systemgenerate a logically, structurally, or otherwise functionally equivalentrepresentation of hardware components, circuits, devices, or systems.

FIG. 3 illustrates multiple such design structures including an inputdesign structure 920 that is preferably processed by a design process910. Design structure 920 may be a logical simulation design structuregenerated and processed by design process 910 to produce a logicallyequivalent functional representation of a hardware device. Designstructure 920 may also or alternatively comprise data and/or programinstructions that when processed by design process 910, generate afunctional representation of the physical structure of a hardwaredevice. Whether representing functional and/or structural designfeatures, design structure 920 may be generated using electroniccomputer-aided design (ECAD) such as implemented by a coredeveloper/designer. When encoded on a machine-readable data transmissionor storage medium, design structure 920 may be accessed and processed byone or more hardware and/or software modules within design process 910to simulate or otherwise functionally represent an electronic component,circuit, electronic or logic module, apparatus, device, or system suchas those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As such, design structure 920 maycomprise files or other data structures including human and/ormachine-readable source code, compiled structures, andcomputer-executable code structures that when processed by a design orsimulation data processing system, functionally simulate or otherwiserepresent circuits or other levels of hardware logic design. Such datastructures may include hardware-description language (HDL) designentities or other data structures conforming to and/or compatible withlower-level HDL design languages such as Verilog and VHDL, and/or higherlevel design languages such as C or C++.

Design process 910 preferably employs and incorporates hardware and/orsoftware modules for synthesizing, translating, or otherwise processinga design/simulation functional equivalent of the components, circuits,devices, or logic structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to generate anetlist 980 which may contain design structures such as design structure920. Netlist 980 may comprise, for example, compiled or otherwiseprocessed data structures representing a list of wires, discretecomponents, logic gates, control circuits, I/O devices, models, etc.that describes the connections to other elements and circuits in anintegrated circuit design. Netlist 980 may be synthesized using aniterative process in which netlist 980 is resynthesized one or moretimes depending on design specifications and parameters for the device.As with other design structure types described herein, netlist 980 maybe recorded on a machine-readable data storage medium. The medium may bea non-volatile storage medium such as a magnetic or optical disk drive,a compact flash, or other flash memory. Additionally, or in thealternative, the medium may be a system or cache memory, buffer space,or electrically or optically conductive devices and materials on whichdata packets may be transmitted and intermediately stored via theInternet, or other networking suitable means.

Design process 910 may include hardware and software modules forprocessing a variety of input data structure types including netlist980. Such data structure types may reside, for example, within libraryelements 930 and include a set of commonly used elements, circuits, anddevices, including models, layouts, and symbolic representations, for agiven manufacturing technology (e.g., different technology nodes, 32 nm,45 nm, 90 nm, etc.). The data structure types may further include designspecifications 940, characterization data 950, verification data 960,design rules 970, and test data files 985 which may include input testpatterns, output test results, and other testing information. Designprocess 910 may further include modules for performing standard circuitdesign processes such as timing analysis, verification, design rulechecking, place and route operations, etc.

Design process 910 employs and incorporates well-known logic andphysical design tools such as HDL compilers and simulation model buildtools to process design structure 920 together with some or all of thedepicted supporting data structures to generate a second designstructure 990. Similar to design structure 920, design structure 990preferably comprises one or more files, data structures, or othercomputer-encoded data or instructions that reside on transmission ordata storage media and that when processed by an ECAD system generate alogically or otherwise functionally equivalent form of one or more ofthe embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In oneembodiment, design structure 990 may comprise a compiled, executable HDLsimulation model that functionally simulates the devices shown in FIGS.1 and 2.

Design structure 990 may also employ a data format used for the exchangeof layout data of integrated circuits and/or symbolic data format (e.g.information stored in a GDSII (GDS2), GL1, OASIS, map files, or anyother suitable format for storing such design data structures). Designstructure 990 may comprise information such as, for example, symbolicdata, map files, test data files, design content files, manufacturingdata, layout parameters, wires, levels of metal, vias, shapes, data forrouting through the manufacturing line, and any other data processed bysemiconductor manufacturing tools to fabricate embodiments of theinvention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Design structure 990 may thenproceed to a stage 995 where, for example, design structure 990:proceeds to tape-out, is released to manufacturing, is released to amask house, is sent to another design house, is sent back to thecustomer, etc.

The method as described above is used in the fabrication of integratedcircuit chips. The resulting integrated circuit chips can be distributedby the fabricator in raw wafer form (that is, as a single wafer that hasmultiple unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in a packaged form. In thelatter case the chip is mounted in a single chip package (such as aplastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or otherhigher level carrier) or in a multichip package (such as a ceramiccarrier that has either or both surface interconnections or buriedinterconnections). In any case the chip is then integrated with otherchips, discrete circuit elements, and/or other signal processing devicesas part of either (a) an intermediate product, such as a motherboard, or(b) an end product. The end product can be any product that includesintegrated circuit chips.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements, if any, in the claims below areintended to include any structure, material, or act for performing thefunction in combination with other claimed elements as specificallyclaimed. The description of the present invention has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to beexhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

1. A structure for preventing latchup, comprising: a latchup sensitivestructure; and a through wafer via structure bounding the latch-upsensitive structure to prevent parasitic carriers from being injectedinto the latch-up sensitive structure.
 2. The structure of claim 1,wherein the latchup sensitive structure is a P+ diffusion structure. 3.The structure of claim 1, wherein the latchup sensitive structure is aCMOS structure.
 4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the latchupsensitive structure is an N+ diffusion structure.
 5. The structure ofclaim 1, wherein the through wafer via isolates the latchup sensitivestructure from an external source.
 6. The structure of claim 1, whereinthe through wafer via is filled with one of: a refractory material, ametal, an insulator and a metal material lined with an insulator.
 7. Thestructure of claim 1, wherein the through wafer via completely surroundsthe latchup sensitive structure.
 8. The structure of claim 1, whereinthe through wafer via partially surrounds the latchup sensitivestructure.
 9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the through wafer via isa guard ring structure that prevents latchup resulting from a minorityinjection source.
 10. The structure of claim 1, wherein: a latchupsensitive structure in a substrate; the trough via through is providedon an underside of the substrate and adjacent the latchup sensitivestructure to isolate the latchup sensitive structure from at least anexternal source.
 11. The structure of claim 10, wherein the trough viais filled with a metal material, refractory material, an insulator, or ametal material with an insulator liner.
 12. The structure of claim 10,wherein the latchup sensitive structure is one of: a P+ diffusionstructure, a CMOS structure and a N+ diffusion structure.
 13. Thestructure of claim 10, wherein the latchup sensitive structure isbounded by the through wafer via to prevent parasitic carriers frombeing injected into the latchup sensitive structure.
 14. The structureof claim 10, wherein the through wafer via is entirely surrounding thelatchup sensitive structure.
 15. A structure for preventing latchup,comprising: a latchup sensitive structure; and a guard ring that boundsthe latchup sensitive structure to isolate the latchup sensitivestructure from an external source.
 16. The structure of claim 15,wherein the latchup sensitive structure is one of a CMOS, PMOS and NMOSdevice.
 17. The structure of claim 15, wherein the guard ring is one ofa metal material, a refractory material, an insulator, a metal linedwith an insulator or devoid of material.
 18. The structure of claim 15,wherein the guard ring completely surrounds the latchup sensitivestructure.
 19. The structure of claim 15, wherein the guard ring isstructured to protect the latchup sensitive structure from a highvoltage external source.
 20. A design structure embodied in a machinereadable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing an integratedcircuit, the design structure comprising a latchup sensitive structure,and a guard ring that bounds the latchup sensitive structure to isolatethe latchup sensitive structure from an external source.